As Geelong and St Kilda officially turn their focus to next week's mega blockbuster clash between the AFL's two unbeaten teams, one thing is clear after a dramatic Round 13.

And that is if another team is to emerge this season as a genuine challenger to the two clubs that appear destined to play off in this year's grand final - it won't be reigning premier Hawthorn.

The Hawks' premiership defence is officially over after a round which also signalled the birth of a superstar and confirmed the sad decline of a veteran player that simply is no longer of any value to his team because of his inability to control his temper.

The superstar in waiting is of course exciting West Coast ruckman Nick Naitanui while Barry Hall's latest undisciplined act - his blatant punch on Crows' defender Ben Rutten on Saturday - should be the end of his AFL career.

But while Hall is facing yet another long suspension, which must be the last straw of a Sydney team and coach Paul Roos that is growing tired of his distracting outbursts and selfish football given he is out of contract at the end of this season, Naitanui announced himself as the next big thing in the AFL on Saturday night when he put the final nails into the Hawks' coffin for season 2009.

While the Hawks might still be able to scrape into the finals, they now have no chance of finishing in a high enough position - read top four despite coach Alastair Clarkson's comments after the game - to mount a genuine defence of their shock 2008 premiership win come September.

And with just six wins from 13 matches after the loss to the Eagles - as Naitanui booted three last quarter goals in just his second AFL game and his first in front of the adoring hordes in Perth - the Hawks are even in danger of missing the finals completely.

Adelaide in 1999 was the last premiership team not to make the eight the following season and the Hawks now need to win six of their last nine games to feature in September this season.

But considering they still have to face all of this year's top four teams in Geelong, St Kilda, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs plus revitalised Essendon in the last round - it's hard to see how Alastair Clarkson's team is going to win enough games to make